For Immediate Release:                                                          10/08/05

From: On the Hook Sportfishing Inc. (Stephanie Yarbrough)

Yarbrough and Seyka Win Big!

  Grand National Walleye Cup National Championship

  Lake Erie Vermillion, Ohio!

                October winds came with velocity to bring the Grand National Walleye Cup National Championship out of Vermillion, Ohio on Lake Erie from a scheduled three day event to a one day shootout!   The event had 108 teams from 14 states.   The team of Greg Yarbrough and Jeff Seyka came out at the end of the day with a commanding lead.   Their day one total of 35.27 lb gave them a 14.62lb lead over the second place team with 20.65lbs.   Greg Yarbrough, Port Clinton, OH is a District Sales Manager for Lund Boat Company.   Jeff Seyka, Milford , MI is a Sales Representative for Fishlander.   Greg and Jeff also weighed the big fish of the tournament a beautiful 9.42 lb. walleye to claim the big fish prize.   Together they brought home over $70,000 in winnings!   Their practice period strategy consisted of first locating active schools of fish using the Lowrance LCX-104C color unit and the Navionics Hot Maps Premium East and Gold Series East Great Lakes electronic charts.   Greg stated "There is a lot of water to cover out there and the key for us was that we were able to mark both moving schools of migrating fish and target mid lake rock humps that had active fish on them, the kicker was being able to mark these fish and locations effectively cruising at speeds of 25-30mph.   The new Lowrance LCX units are a huge advantage for fisherman on any body of water that you are going to fish."   They ran search baits during practice with success to cover water and target active fish such as Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerks, Reef Runners, and both Luhr Jensen Jet Divers and Fishlander Mini-Disc and Spoons.   Greg and Jeff knew a cold front was coming in and slowed their presentation down during the tournament to a crawl using the Minn Kota Electric trolling motor with Church Walleye Board in-line planers to spread out their presentation.   The set up they used was Cabela's 1oz. in-line trolling sinkers and custom made crawler harnesses with both Northland Holographic Baitfish spinner blades and Walleye Unlimited   Tackle spinner blades tipped with Berkley Gulp night crawlers in the natural and pumpkinseed patterns and Walt's night crawlers also.   The advantage of using the Gulp Crawlers is that you always have bait in the zone.   This was a key factor for Greg last year at the PWT event held in Cleveland where he had a 2 nd place finish.   "Last year at Cleveland we were targeting fish near bottom and we were catching perch, white perch, white bass, sheepshead, everything that could nip a live crawler off did.   My answer was to use the Berkley Gulp Crawlers on my Harnesses behind Dipsy Divers to always have fresh bait in the game at all times and it paid off." As Greg and Jeff left the harbor at Vermillion they had their Rod Wrangler in place and Bert's Custom Tackle rod holders loaded with their arsenal of   St.Croix trolling rods flying high off the deck of the Mercury Verado powered Lund 2025 Pro-V.   It was all business from there on out until the time they returned with the huge limit of Walleye from Lake Erie . When asked what he thought about his partner's fishing abilities Greg replied "Jeff is the most devoted fisherman I have ever come across when it comes to pre-fishing.   He is out there daybreak until dark sometimes a week or more in advance of the tournament.   He doesn't eat on the boat and maybe has water or two throughout the course of the day. I don't know how he manages like that but he is a great partner to have on the boat." When asked Jeff the same question about Greg he replied "Greg and I work together very well.   We fished together last year at the RCL Championship in Moline IL .   We became close friends and fished the GNWC Circuit together this year just for this reason to get to the Championship at Vermillion in the fall and win it.   Greg has taught me so much over the past year and I am so happy we were able to do this circuit together this year and bring home the championship."   Greg and Jeff also would like to thank the community of Vermillion for hosting this event.   They did a wonderful job!  

                Fishing will continue to get better in the Vermillion and Huron, Ohio area as the fall progresses into winter.   The large schools of migrating fish out east are on their way back at this time.   Sometime in the next 2-3 weeks it should be exceptional in these areas.   So get out the winter clothes, "I'll be getting out my Gerbings Heated Suit" and head up to either Vermillion or Huron and experience world class walleye fishing with a great shot at a trophy fish.   The perch and steelhead fishing is also dynamite this time of year.                                                                                                   

Tight Lines!

(Questions regarding current lake conditions and the bite contact Craig Lewis at Erie Outfitters @ (440) 949-8934 in Sheffield Lake , Ohio.)